Hide or leather working machine.



No. 802,084. PATENTED OCT. 17. 1905. F. J. PERKINS. HIDE 0R LEATHERWORKING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 12.1904.

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eflt'tp rneys No. 802,084. PATENTED OCT; 17, 1905. F. J. PERKINS.

HIDE 0R LEATHER WORKING MACHINE.

APPLIOATION FILED SEPT. 12.1904.

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No. 802,084. PATENTED OUT. 17, 1905. F. J. PERKINS.

HIDE 0R LEATHER WORKING MACH 'E.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 12.1904.

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UNITED srnfrns ATENI onrion.

FRANKLIN J. PERKINS, OF WOBURN, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR, BY MESNEASSIGNMENTS, TO TURNER TANNING MACHINERY COMPANY, OF BOSTON,MASSACHUSETTS, A CORPORATION.

HIDE OR LEATHER WORKING MACHINE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Oct. 17, 1905.

- Application filed September 12, 1904:. Serial No. 224,069.

To all whom it mag concern:

Be it known that I, FRANKLIN J. PERKINS, a citizen of the United States,residing at VVoburn, in the county of Middlesex and State ofMassachusetts, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement inHide or Leather Working Machines, of which the following is aspecification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawings.

The invention is presented herein embodied in a machine comprising,essentially, a putting-out or slicking device, a board or table servingas a support and backing for the hide or leather while exposed to theaction of the putting-out or slicking device, and a pair of rollerscompressing the hide or leather between them and operating to draw thesame through between the said device and the board or table. By means ofthe putting-out or slicking device the hide or leather is smoothed outand stretched, the slack thereof being taken out and the moistureexpelled.

The invention has reference more especially to the means of supportingthe putting-out or slickin'g device, the board or table, and therollers, and to improved means for automatically moving the parts underthe control of the workman to separate them for the insertion andremoval of the hide or leather and close them together into operativerelations.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a view mainly in vertical section on theplaneindicated by the dotted line 1 1, Fig. 2, of a machine embodyingthe different features of the invention in 35 the best form which hasthus far been devised.

In this figure the parts which act upon the hide or leather are shownclosed together. Fig. 2 is a view of the said machine looking from theright-hand side in Fig. 1 with the loose coverings or bolsters of therollers partly removed and also with portions of the uprights 2 2 of theside frames partly in vertical section, so as to show features thatotherwise would be hidden. Fig. 3 is a view resembling Fig. 1, but withthe parts opened for the insertion or removal of the hide or leather andalso with a portion of the upper roller and its bolster broken away inorder to show the connection between the bearing for such roller and itsadjusting device. Fig. 4 is a bottom view of the putting-out device orslicker detached.

Having reference to the drawings, 1 1 are the side frames 1 1 andfurnished with bear 1 ings for the main or driving shaft 6. For thetransmission of driving power to thedrivingshaft 6 and for controllingsuch transmission a loose band -pulley 8 is mounted upon thedriving-shaft, the said band-pulley being rotated in practice by meansof a convenientlydriven band, (not shown,) and in connection with thesaid loose band-pulley the machine is provided with clutch devicesembracing a clutch-actuating cone 9, Fig. 2, the said cone beingoperatively engaged by a shipper-lever or shipper 10, which is pivotallymounted, as at 11, Figs. 1 and 2, upon a fixed stand 12. By means of theshipper 10 the cone 9 may be shifted at will to couple the saidband-pulley with the driving-shaft for the purpose of setting the latterin motion or to release the band-pulley from the driving-shaft in orderto suspend the working of the machine. With the driving-shaft areoperativelyjoined trains of motion-transmitting connections for theactuation of the different parts, as presently will be described.

Referring now to the characteristic working elements of the machine, 13is the putting-out or slicking device. 1 1 is the board or table thatcoacts with the said device and serves as a support and backing for thehide or leather which is operated upon while the same is engaged by theputting-out or slicking device. 15 16 are a pair of rollers havinga'working position adjacent the working position of the putting-outdevice and board or table. The said rollers compress between them thehide or leather in advance of the putting-out device and board or tableand by their rotation draw the hide or leather through.

The acting portion of the putting-out device 13 consists of a series ofblades or ribs 1.31 131 (see detail view, Fig. t) and a bar or plate132, on which said blades or ribs are mounted and from one face or sideof which they project. The blades orribs 131 131 curve or inclineforwardly from the middle of the To enable the putting-out or slickingdevice to yield to accommodate itself to variations and irregularitiesin the thickness of the .hide or leather under treatment, the actingportion of the said device is given capacity for a certain amount ofmovement independently of its carrier or support and is provided with anelastic backing. The said capacity is secured in the present specificembodiment of the invention as follows: A series of studs 133 133projects from the back of the bar or plate 132, the said studs beingarranged in pairs and the studs of each pair being located at oppositesides of the middle of the width of the said bar or plate, as shown inFigs. 1 and 3. The studs of each pair occupy holes in the opposite endsof a short cross bar or block 13 1 and are movable lengthwisetherethrough, the screw-threaded free extremities of the studs havingapplied thereto at the back of the said cross bar or block the nuts 135135, and check-nuts 136 136. The elastic backing is constituted byexpanding spiral springs 137 137, which surround the stems of the saidstuds between the cross bars or blocks 134C and the back of the bar orplate 132. The action of the said springs holds the bar or plate 132separated from the cross bars or blocks 134, so far as is permitted bythe nuts 135135, the latter acting as stops. The means of supporting thecross bars or blocks 134 may vary in practice. In the present instance,into the middle of each cross bar or block 13 1 is screwed one end of ashort rod 138, the other end of which is screwed into the body of a clip139, which is bolted upon a supporting-rod 17, extending lengthwise ofthe machine. The clips 139 are adjustable around the supporting-rod 17,thus enabling the putting-out device to be positioned so as tocorrespond properly with the acting surface of the board or table 14when the puttingout device and board or table are pressed together.

The putting-out device 13 and board or table 1 1 are movable relative toeach other to permit them to be separated for the insertion between themof the hide or leather which is to be operated upon and also to enablethem to be closed together to compress the said hide or leather betweenthe edges of the blades or ribs of the putting-out device and thesurface of the board or table. So, also, the rollers 15 and 16 arerelatively movable toward and from each other. 1n the separated oropened condition of the parts the hide or leather is thrown in betweenthe upper and lower rollers and also between the putting-out device andboard or table. The parts are then closed together upon the said hide orleather. In the present embodiment of the said invention, although notnecessarily in all cases, the putting-out device and upper roller aremounted in practically fixed positions and the board or table and lowerroller are the movable members. The practically fixed mounting of theputting-out device is secured by attaching the opposite ends of thesupporting-rod 17 of such device to the upper parts of the uprights 2 2,forming portions of the fixed side pieces or end pieces of themachine-frame. The upper roller 15 is supported by being journaled inboxes 18 18, Figs. 1 and 2, which are mounted in vertical guides or ways181 that are provided therefor in the uprights 2 2. The said boxes areheld normally in place at the lower ends of the said guides or ways bythe action of expansion-springs 19, Figs. 1 and 3, although the saidsprings are designed to yield to allow the respective boxes to rise toaccommodate irregularities in the thickness of the hide or leatherpassing between the two rollers 15 and 16. The pressure of each of thesprings 19 is transmitted to the corresponding box by means of a rod 20,Fig. 1, which is encircled by the spring. At its lower end the said rodis furnished with collars 201 201, Fig. 3, between which are receivedlips or plates 182 182, that are affixed to the top of the box. The rod20 extends through a sleeve 21, which latter is supported by thecap-piece 22, secured uponthe top of the corresponding upright 2 at theupper end of its guideway. The said spring is compressed between acollar or flange upon the lower end of the sleeve and a plate 23, whichis fitted upon the screw-threaded lower portion of the rod. The plate 23fits the guideway and is adapted to move up and down therein, but isheld from turning by reason of its engagement with the opposite walls ofthe guideway. The spring acts expansively' against plate 23, with atendency to hold the box 18 and upper roller in their lowest position,such position being determined either by the contact of the box with thebottom of the guideway or by the contact of the hub of the hand-wheel202 upon rod 20 with the upper end of sleeve 21 or with the hub ofhandwheel 211 upon the said sleeve. By means of the hand-wheel 202 therod may be turned to adjust the height of the plate 23 upon the same,this adjustment serving to regulate the tension of the spring 19. Forthepurpose of enabling the extent of the descent of the box 18 and upperroller under the action of the spring 19 to be varied so as to regulateto a nicety the closeness of approach of the lower roller to the saidupper roller the sleeve 21 is made adjustable vertically. To this end itis screw-threaded exteriorly and is fitted to a Ioo soaose threaded holethat is tapped through the cappiece 22. When the said sleeve is turnedby means of its hand-wheel211, it is raised and lowered, and thusarrests the descent of the hand-wheel 202 and rod 20 at a higher orlower point, as the case may be.

The movement of the board 'or table 14 and lower roller 16, by whichthey are separated from the putting-out device and upper roller,

respectively, to permit of the insertion, &c.,

of the hide or leather and again returned into working position inconnection therewith, is provided for by mounting them upon movablecarriers or supports. These may vary in construction and arrangement insome cases. In the machine that is shown in the drawings the saidsupports are constituted by-arms or levers 24 24, which at their upperends are provided with bearings 241 241 for the journals of the lowerroller 16, the lower ends of the said arms or levers being hung to thefixed side pieces or end pieces 1 1, upon pivots 242. The pivotal pointsof support 242 are located a short distance to the rear of a verticalline passing through the centers of the two rollers 15 16 when thelatter occupy their working relations with respect to each other,asinFig. 1. When the supporting arms or levers 24 24 are moved forward fromthe position in which they are represented in Fig. 1, the lower roller16 thereby is carried forward and down into the position that is.represented in Fig. 3, in which it is separated from the upper roller15, the said position being such as to facilitate the operation ofthrowing ahide or piece of leather rearward between the pair of rollersand adjusting the same into position to be operated upon. The board ortable 14 is also carried by the supporting arms or levers 24 24 and bythe movement of the latter to the position shown in Fig. 3 is separatedfrom the putting-out device 13, it assuming such a position withrelation to roller 16 that when the hide or leather is thrown betweenthe two rollers the rear portion thereof extends over the acting surfaceof the board or table. In conformity with one portion of the invention Imake provision for causing the board or table 14 to swing downward asthe lower roller is moved away from the upper roller, this swinging ofthe board or table producing a clear unobstructed space at the rear ofthelower roller and placing the board or table in a downwardly-inclinedposition. (See Fig. 3.) This facilitates the operation of throwing thehide or leatherinto place and the adjustment of the hide or leather intoproper position with relation to the rollers, table, and putting-outdevice in readiness for being operated upon. To this end the board ortable is attached to the rear portions of rockers 25 25, which are hungupon either the reduced ends of the lower roller or inward extensions ofthe bearings with which the swinging supporting-arms are provided. Forthe purpose of operating the board or table 14, sothat when the lowerroller is moved into working relations with the upper roller, as in Fig.1, the board or table. shall be-caused to turn or swing up into workingrelations with the putting-out device, as in the said figure, so as topress the hide or leather against the edges of the blades or ribs of thelatter, and also so that when the lower roller is moved away from theupper one into the position shown in Fig. 3 the board or table shallassume the position in which it is shown in Fig. 3. The rockers 25 25are provided with forwardly-extending projections 251, and upon theuprights 2 20f the machine-frame are mounted stops 26 26,

which preferably are constituted by rolls, as shown. against which theupper surfaces of the said extensions take bearing. In Fig. 1 the actionof the said rolls against the said extensions operates to hold the boardor table firmly in its working relations with the putting-out device. Asthe supporting arms or leversare swung forward from the position of Fig.1 to that of Fig. 3 the bodily movement of the rockers .relative to thestops or rolls in being carried forward with the said arms or leverspermits the rockers and board or table to turn or swing downward underthe influence of gravity or of aspring, if desired. In the reversemovement of the supporting arms or levers the action of the stops orrolls upon the extensions of the rockers causes the rockers to be turnedso as to swing the board or table toward the putting-out device.

The means of operating the swinging supporting arms or levers 24 24 tomove the same and the roller 16, carried thereby, may vary in somecases; but one feature of the present invention consists in theemployment of radiusarms 27 27, which, respectively, are pivoted at oneend to the respective supporting arms or levers 24 24 and at the otherend carry rolls 271 271, bearing upon tracks 28 28, with which the sidepieces or end pieces 2 2 are formed or provided, the said radius-armshaving joined thereto connecting rods or pitmen 29, through which poweris transmitted to actuate the parts. In Fig. 1 the radius-arm occupies aposition at right angles to the surface of the track 28, and the axisofthe pivotal connection of the radius-arm with the supporting arm orlever 24, as well as the point at which roll 271 contacts with thetracksurface, are in the line of the pressure which is transmitted fromthe upper roller 15 to the lower roller 16. Thereby the lower roller issustained firmly against the pressure of the upper roller. Movementtransmitted through pitmen or connecting-rods 29 in the direction fromleft to right in Fig. 1 will cause the rolls 271 to travel along tracks28 28, inclining the radius-arms 27 27 more and more and permitting thesupporting arms or levers 24 24 and roll 16 to swing forward until theposition of Fig. 3 is assumed. By movement transmitted through thepitmen or connecting-rods, causing the rolls 271 271 to travel along thetracks 28 28 from right to left in Fig. 3, the supporting arms or levers24 24 will be swung upward with the roller 16, and as the radiusarmsgradually assume their position at rigl'it angles to the surfaces of thetracks the said roller 16 will be forced with great power against theupper roller 15. Preferably, although not necessarily in all cases, Ioperate the radius arms 27 27 under the control of the workman throughconnections with the main or driving shaft of the machine, and to thisend I have shown the connecting-rods 29 joined with cranks 30 upon acrank-shaft 7, the latter being mounted in bearings in thebearing-stands 4 4. Normally the said crank-shaft 7 stands at rest, itbeing held locked in either one or the other of the two positions whichare presented, respectively, in Fig. 1 and in Fig. 3. To enable thecrankshaft to be thus looked, a stop-wheel 31 is mounted upon thecrank-shaft, fast therewith, the said stop-wheel having a lateralflange,Fig. 2, provided with opposite notches. A locking pin orprojection 32, to enter the said notches alternately, is carried by anarm 33, fast on a rock-shaft 34, extending in the direction from frontto rear in the machine and mounted in bearings which are provided uponthe beams 3 3. The said rock-shaft is actuated in one direction by meansof a weight 35, operating with a tendency to turn the rock-shaft in thedirection to press the projection or pin 32 toward the bottom of thenotch of the stopwheel 31, which is in position to receive the same. Forthe purpose of intermittingly turning the crank-shaft 7 by power whenunlocked to the extent each time of a half-revolution of the same thesaid crank-shaft has fast thereon a spur-gear 351, and upon the main ordriving shaft 6 is mounted a spurpinion 36, meshing with the saidspur-gear. The spur-pinion 36 is loose upon the main or driving shaft,and hence ordinarily does not actuate the crank-shaft. In order that thespur-pinion 36 may be coupled with the main or driving shaft whendesired, clutch devices 37 of well-known character are provided inconnection therewith, said clutch devices having an actuating-cone 38,which is engaged and operated by means of a fork 39 upon the rock-shaft34. To enable the workman to move the said cone to close the clutch, soas to couple pinion 36 to the main or driving shaft, the rock-shaft isprovided at its forward end with a treadle 381. Pressure upon the saidtreadle will turn the rock-shaft, so as to move the locking projectionout of the notch in stop-wheel 31 that is occupied thereby and willcause the spur-pinion 36 to be clutched to the main or driving shaft, soas to cause the crank-shaft 7 -to be actuated. The pressure upon thetreadle being relieved and crankshaft 7 having been started to rotate,the flange of stop-wheel 31, acting against pin or projection 32, willhold the rock-shaft 34 in position to keep the clutch 37 closed untilthe opposite notch of stop-wheel 31 is presented to the said pin orprojection. The'latter notch.

chain 153 passes around the sprocket-wheel 152 and also around a drivingsprocket-wheel 154, Fig. 2, which is fast on the main or driving shaft6. Thereby when the said main or driving shaft 6 is in motion movementis transmitted from the shaft 6 to the upper roller 15. At the end ofthe machine opposite that at which the sprocket driving devices justreferred to are located the rollers 15 and 16 are provided withspur-gears 155 and 156. These latter gears mesh with each other when theroller 16 is moved into working relations with the roller 15, andthereby the roller 16 is driven from roller 15, so as to rotate inunison with the latter.

Usually the rollers 15 16 are furnished with coverings 0r bolsters 157157, of yielding material, as felt.

I claim as my invention.

' 1. In a hide or leather working machine, the combination with theputting-out'device comprising the bar provided with the blades or ribs,the elastic backing for the said bar, the board or table cooperatingwith the said putting-out device, and rollers compressing between themthe stock that is operated upon and drawing it through between the boardor table and the blades or ribs of the putting-out device, of movablesupports enabling the rollers, putting-out device, and board or table tobe separated for the introduction of the said stock.

2. In a hide or leather working machine, the combination with aputting-out device, a board or table coacting therewith, and rollerscompressing between them the stock that is operated upon and drawing thesame forward, of movable supports for one of said rollers and the boardor table, and means to move the said board or table independently uponthe said supports as the latter are shifted in separating the parts forthe introduction of the stock and restoring them to working relationswith one another.

3. In a hide or leather working machine, the combination with aputting-out device, a board or table coacting therewith, and rollerscompressing between them the stock that is operated upon and drawing thesame forward,

of movable supports carrying one of said rollers and on which the boardor table is mounted with capacity to swing, and means to swing saidboard or table independently upon the said supports as the latter aremoved.

4. In a hide or leather working machine, the combination with aputting-out device, a board or table coacting therewith, and rollerscompressing between them the stock that is operated upon and feeding thesame through, of the movable supports carrying one of the said rollers,the rockers carrying the board or table and movably mounted upon thesaid supports, and means engaging with the said rockers to cause thesame and the board or table to be independently swung relative to thesupports as the latter are moved.

5 The combination with a pair of rollers, and a supporting arm or leverfor one of the said rollers, of a radius-arm pivotally joined to thesaid arm or lover, a roll carried by the said radius-arm, a fixed trackfor the said roll, and means to move said radius-arm to cause the rollthereof to travel along the said track.

6. The combination with the rollers, and a movable support for onethereof, of a radius: arm pivotally connected to the said support, aroll carried by the said radius-arm, a fixed track for the said roll, apitman or connectingrod joined to the said radius-arm, anactuating-crank for the said pitman or connectingrod, and means tooccasion half-revolutions of the said crank.

7. The combination with the rollers, and a movable support for onethereof, of a radiusarm pivoted to the said support, a roll carried bythe said radius-arm, a fixed track for the said roll, devices to impartswinging movement to the said radius-arm to cause the roll to travelalong the said track, power-driven actuating means for the said devices,and a shipper to render said actuating means operative to actuate thesaid devices when desired.

8. The combination with the rollers, and a movable support for onethereof, of a radiusarm pivoted to the said support, a roll carried bythe said radius-arm, a fixed track for the said roll, an actuating-crankin operative connection with the said radius-arm, power-driven actuatingmeans for the said crank, and a shipper to render the said actuatingmeans operative to communicate a half-revolution to the said crank whendesired.

9. The combination with the pair of rollers, of a support for onethereof, a screw-threaded rod connected with the said support, a spring,a part adjustably engaged with the screwthread of the rod and receivingthe pressure of the said spring, and an adjustable stop in connectionwith the rod to determine the position assumed by the support and rollerunder the said pressure.

10. The combination with the pair of rollers, and a carrier for onethereof movable to separate the latter from the other thereof andrestore it to working relations with respect thereto, of a support forthe said other roller, a screw-threaded rod connected with the saidsupport, a spring, a part adjustably engaged with the screw-thread ofthe rod and receiving the pressure of the said spring, and an adjustablestop by which the movement of the rod under the said pressure is limitedto determine the position assumed by the support and roller.

11. The combination with the pair of rollers, of a support for onethereof, the rotatable screw-threaded rod connected with the saidsupport, a spring, a part engaged with the screw-thread of the rod,adjustable by the rotation of the rod, and receiving the pressure of thesaid spring, and the screw-threaded sleeve constituting an adjustablestop by which the movement of the rod under the said pressure is limitedto determine the position assumed by the support and roller.

12. The combination with the pair of rollers, and a carrier for onethereof, movable to separate the latter from the other thereof andrestore it to working relations with respect thereto, of a support forthe said other roller, the rotatable screw-threaded rod connected withthe said support, aspring, a part engaged with the screw-thread of therod, adjustable by the rotation of the rod, and receiving the pressureof the said spring, and the screwthreaded sleeve constituting anadjustable stop by which the movement of the rod under the said pressureis limited to determine the position assumed by the support and roller.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

FRANKLIN J. PERKINS.

Witnesses:

CHAS. F. RANDALL, EDITH J. ANDERSON.

